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Negotiated Contract
TO MY FUTURE CLIENT:
I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED TO OFFER SOMETHING MORE
THAN SIMPLY MY ABILITIES AS A LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR AND DESIGNER.
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT SOMETHING WAS, I ASKED MYSELF A QUESTION:
WHAT SPECIAL SKILLS DOES A LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR HAVE? THE ANSWER, I
DECIDED, WAS THAT WE CONTRACTORS KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT WHAT THINGS
COST THEN HOME OWNERS AND DESIGNERS DO. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND
CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND SEQUENCES. SO IF WE CAN CONVINCE CLIENTS TO
BRING US IN EARLY ENOUGH, WE CAN HELP THEM—AND THE DESIGNER---WEIGH
THE COST IMPLICATIONS OF DESIGN DECISIONS AND CREATE REALISTIC
SCHEDULES.
TODAY POTENTIAL CLIENTS ARE USUALLY JUST BEGINNING TO THINK ABOUT
THE DESIGN OF THEIR PROJECT WHEN THEY CALL. I TELL THEM THAT MY
COMPANY WILL WORK WITH THEM DURING THE DESIGN PHASE. IF THEY ALREADY
HAVE A DESIGNER, WE WILL GLADLY WORK WITH THAT PERSON; OTHERWISE YOU
CAN USE OUR STAFF OF DESIGNERS OR WE CAN RECOMMEND ANOTHER DESIGNER.
THE MOST USEFUL SERVICE I CAN PROVIDE PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION IS TO
BECOME WHAT I CALL THE “THE KEEPER OF THE BUDGET”
VERY EARLY IN THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, I MEET WITH THE
DESIGNER AND THE CLIENTS, AND TOGETHER WE DEVELOP A SCHEMATIC PLAN
AND SIMPLE DESIGN.
WE ALSO COME UP WITH A SERIES OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT STRUCTURAL
SYSTEMS, QUALITY OF MATERIALS, AND FINISH SELECTIONS. I THEN DO A
FAIRLY DETAILED COST BREAKDOWN BASED ON HISTORIC COST DATA FROM
RECENT SIMILAR PROJECTS.
THIS COST BREAKDOWN BECOMES THE FIRST REALITY CHECK FOR THE DESIGN.
IF THE ESTIMATE IS AT OR UNDER THE BUDGET, THE DESIGN WORK CAN
PROCEED. BUT IF THE COST BREAK DOWN IS OVER BUDGET, THE DESIGN CAN
BE REVISED BEFORE ANY FURTHER TIME AND MONEY IS SPENT ON IT.
I CONTINUE TO KEEP TRACK OF THE BUDGET ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
DESIGN PHASE. THIS IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE EVERY CHOICE THAT IS
MADE--- WHETHER IT CONCERNS MATERIALS, LANDSCAPE CONFIGURATIONS, OR
ANYTHING ELSE--- HAS COST IMPLICATIONS. AND IT’S MY JOB TO TELL THE
CLIENTS WHAT THOSE IMPLICATIONS ARE.
TO STAY ON TOP OF COST ISSUES, I SIT IN ON ALL DESIGN MEETINGS. OR,
I CAN ARRANGE TO RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES OF THE PLANS. I TAKE THIS
INFORMATION AND USE IT TO UP DATE THE COST ESTIMATE AND MAKE SURE
THAT THE DESIGN IS IN LINE WITH ASSUMPTIONS WE AGREED TO EARLY ON.
IF ITS NOT, I NOTIFY THE CLIENTS THAT THEY HAVE DEPARTED FROM THE
ORIGINAL ASSUMPTIONS AND EXPLAIN HOW THAT WILL AFFECT THE COST OF
THE PROJECT.
BEFORE I DO ANY WORK THE CUSTOMER MUST SIGN A ONE PAGE LETTER OF
AGREEMENT. THE LETTER STATES THAT THE WORK I DO FOR THEM DURING THE
DESIGN PHASE IS FREE AS LONG AS THEY SIGN A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT
WITH US WITHIN 6 MONTHS.
IF YOU DO NOT SIGN A CONTRACT, OR DECIDE TO DROP THE PROJECT OR WORK
WITH SOMEONE ELSE, YOU MUST PAY US FOR OUR CONSULTING TIME. THE
LETTER INDICATES AN HOURLY FEE AS WELL AS A CAP OFF FOR TOTAL FEES.
WHY DO WE AGREE TO PROVIDE THIS CONSULTING TIME FOR FREE? I’D RATHER
DEVOTE MY TIME TO DOING SOMETHING THAT’S VERY LIKELY TO RESULT IN A
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
MOST OF THE DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, POOL CONTRACTORS, GENERAL
CONTRACTORS AND HOME OWNERS APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO; IT TAKES THE
PRESSURE OFF THEM TO PROVIDE ACCURATE COST INPUT AND GIVES THEM
SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION WORK.
ONE OF THE GREATEST BENEFITS OF THIS APPROACH IS THAT IT MAKES THE
WHOLE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS MUCH LESS ADVERSARIAL. WITH COMPETITIVE
BIDDING, THE INCENTIVE IS TO BE THE LOWEST BIDDER AND THEN FIND A
WAY TO CUT COST.
BUT WITH A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT, RELATIONSHIPS ARE COOPERATIVE:
EVERYONE INVOLVED CAN FOCUS ON HELPING THE CLIENTS GET AS CLOSE AS
POSSIBLE TO WHAT THEY WANT WITHIN CONSTRAINTS OF THEIR BUDGET.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS,
PATRICK SMITH
A Touch of Perfection, Inc.
PRESIDENT AND CEO
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Call us today for a free
estimate.
(916) 817-4227
Sacramento Landscape Contractor
serving:
Fair Oaks, Gold River, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, Roseville,
Rocklin, Granite Bay, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Orangevale, Lincoln,
Northern California
"If you
can dream it - We can build it"
Call us today for a free
estimate.
(916) 817-4227
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